


paid respects

by jasminetea



Series: the wine and the women, the bedroom hymns [1]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Courtship, Facebook, Gen, Misunderstandings, Protective Siblings, Shovel Talk, What happens in XMRB Chat doesn't always stay in XMRB Chat, X-Men First Class Kink Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-28
Updated: 2013-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-16 09:34:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/860623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasminetea/pseuds/jasminetea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Facebook update, a displeased sister, and a would-be suitor.</p><p>A prelude to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/609105">Loud and Outrageous</a>, featuring Raven and Erik.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Charles Xavier has recently updated his status

**Author's Note:**

  * For [palalife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/palalife/gifts), [afrocurl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/gifts).



> Because of afrocurl's prompting and palalife's wonderful [art](http://palalife.tumblr.com/post/25208172693/based-on-the-wine-and-the-women-the-bedroom). Her art references a line in chapter one of "Loud and Outrageous," I recommend looking at her work to better understand this chapter!

**Charles Xavier** : Aftermath of today's delicious lunch!  
[24 likes]  
 **Moira MacTaggert** : Waiting for a status change soon! :)  
 **Raven Darkholme** : DISLIKE. I will not approve of any relationship until the partner in question has introduced themselves to me and paid their respects as is my due.  
 **Alex Yo'Momma Summers** : Prof, I really didn't need to know about your sex life.  
 **Charles Xavier** : Alex I was expressing my love of food! Delicious meals! Who said anything about sex?  
 **Hank McCoy** : Although I don't know who you are Alex, Charles is entitled to post about whatever he likes to on his Facebook.  
Charles, the food looked really good.

*  
  
Erik Lehnsherr - Messages  
 **Erik Lehnsherr**  
Hi Ms. Darkholme,  
  
This is Erik Lehnsherr, I'm interested in courting Mr. Xavier. Shall we do dinner at 6pm at The Cheval?  
  
-Erik Lehnsherr

 **Raven Darkholme**  
When I said pay respects, I wasn't expecting it quite so literally.  
  
You're paying. No need to bring a dowry. You can thank me by bringing a bottle; I'll bring the baby pics.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven gives Erik the shovel talk, Erik feeds her good food. She brings the pics, he brings the wine. Unfortunately, they're having very different conversations about Charles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would bookmark the series instead of each part individually.

The Cheval is a downtown place Raven's always wanted to go to. Nested amongst a number of bars and clubs, it's always busy, and whenever Raven drops by, the wait is over an hour, so she's never been.  So she's pleased when she arrives and there're reservations under her name.  
  
The waiter tells her Mr. Lehnsherr is already here, and sits her down at her table for two. Raven thanks the man and sets her purse in her lap. She inclines her head at Erik.  
  
"Not going to stand?" she asks.  
  
He offers a small smile. "I think that would be a demonstration too excessive for you."  
  
She gives him the once over. Clean-shaven, good hair cut, the beginning of wrinkles around his eyes from too much sun and not enough sunscreen, a pressed powder blue button-up. Raven nods. She holds her hand across the table, between the glasses of water beaded with sweat. "I'm Raven."  
  
He takes her hand in a very firm handshake. "I'm Erik Lehnsherr, pleasure to meet you Raven."  
  
"So, wow me with your culinary tastes," she says, leaning back into her chair and waving her hand imperiously.  
  
When the waiter comes by, Erik shuts his menu and rattles off their order. Raven takes the chance to look around the place. The atmosphere is nice, cozy, and there're everyone from teenage couples to families with kids here. The whole decor is centered around red, from the dim lights to the wallpaper. She's pleasantly surprised to not find a single TV mounted on the walls.  
  
"What would you like to drink?"  
  
She turns back to look at him, and then the waiter with his pad of paper and pen. "Cherry Coke, please."  
  
The waiter shuts his pad, repeats the order back to Erik, and at Erik's nod, walks off to deliver the order.  
  
"You've been here before."  
  
Erik takes a sip from his water -- he doesn't use the straw. "I wasn't going to convince you of my intentions somewhere I've never been before. Even if I fail, at least I can hope the food will convince you I'd be good for your brother."  
  
Raven puts her elbows on the table and leans forward. "We're not related, but I'm still the one you need to convince if you want to date him. His family is out of the picture, and I might as well be his sister."  
  
Erik nods, his hands below the table. "I would like to court Charles."  
  
Raven sits there gaping at him for an embarrassing length of time, during which Erik sits there calmly looking back at her.  
  
The waiter comes by with her Coke, but Raven wishes she ordered something stronger. She takes a quick drink and then sputters out, "I'm sorry, did you say, _court_? Like not the kind of street, but like, wooing in those Jane Austen novels where the poor omega girls get the rich alpha men?"  
  
"That's what I meant," he replies serenely.  
  
Raven blinks. "You're serious."  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"Charles never gets suitors."  
  
"Do you think he deserves them?"  
  
"Of course! Charles can be dowdy, but he sees the best in people and always gives them the benefit of the doubt, no matter how many times they burn him."  
  
"That's what I think too. Isn't he deserving of the attention?"  
  
And Raven sees how neatly she's been cornered into agreeing. Sneaky, no-good too-good man. Well, if he's half-way as sneaky with Charles as he is with her, Charles will never know what hit him until he's swept off his feet and into bed.  
  
"Fine," she says, trying to sound as magnanimous as she can. "You have my permission."  
  
"No death threats?"  
  
They're sitting close enough that their feet hit now and then. Raven presses the thin edge of her heel into his shoe. "Break Charles' heart and I will castrate you with these heels, so help me." She gives her best smiles, the ones that make alphas look at her twice, betas snort at the posturing, and omegas swoon a bit.  
  
Erik reaches into a satchel hanging off the back of his chair and draws out a clear bottle.

   
  


"Is that wine?" she says dumbly. As an alpha she knows how courting works, but she didn't think anyone was quite so old-fashioned. She can't think of any alphas who gave the wine, an offer to spill their own blood in the defense of their partner, to prospective in-laws.  
  
"Mmm. I did mention it in my message to you.  Did you bring the baby pictures?" And this strange son of a bitch alpha -- even though she can't sort out his scent amongst all the others, there's no way he's anything else with this arrogantly easy confidence -- continues regarding her with bemusement.  
  
She was joking about the wine, but she did bring the pics. With nothing left for her to do, she carefully watches him throughout the rest of the night. She opens her phone on the table and starts flipping through all the pictures Charles adamantly refuses to let her post to Facebook.  
  
A soup, salad, a plate of ribs with a side of fries and veggies, and a generous slice of cheesecake later, Raven is convinced The Cheval makes good food and Erik knows how to feed a girl. Hopefully he'll feed Charles just as good; the boy is always eating reheated takeout at his job.  
  
At the end of the night, Raven pays their check by saying she's going to the restroom but using a mix of aggression and charm to get the waiter to let her pay despite Erik's prior arrangements.  
  
As they're clearing their table, Raven thanks him for dinner. She links her arm through his, escorting him through the door.  Erik's convinced her of his good intentions; if he's going through all courting gestures just to date a beta like Charles, he can't be in it for a quick lay.  


 

When they part ways -- Erik took a cab, Raven's parked a block away -- Raven presses a kiss to his cheek and murmurs, "I wasn't kidding about eviscerating you with my high heels."  
  
"And I wasn't kidding when I asked to court him."  
  
Raven sighs. "Fine, take my blessing, Charles is already smitten with you anyway." Erik smiles at this, and it does change his face into something gentler.  
  
Raven walks back to her car, secure in her decision. Erik will be good for Charles, he needs some romance in his life. She just hopes Charles doesn't come to her for sex advice. But just in case, she starts thinking where she can find a pair of scandalously pointed stilettos.


End file.
